Capital Rep presents world premiere musical 'Single Girls Guide'

Published 1:15 pm, Wednesday, February 27, 2013

The creative team from left, Zach Dietz, musical director, Tommy Newman, composer, Gordon Greenberg, director, Michele Lynch, choreographer, and Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill, producing artistic director of Cap Rep talk to some of the performers during First Hour about the show "Single Girls" which is a new musical being developed at Capital Rep on Tuesday Feb. 5, 2013 in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

The creative team from left, Zach Dietz, musical director, Tommy...

The creative team from left, Zach Dietz, musical director, Tommy Newman, composer, Gordon Greenberg, director, Michele Lynch, choreographer, and Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill, producing artistic director of Cap Rep talk to some of the performers during First Hour about the show "Single Girls" which is a new musical being developed at Capital Rep on Tuesday Feb. 5, 2013 in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

The creative team from left, Zach Dietz, musical director, Tommy...

The creative team from left, Zach Dietz, musical director, Tommy Newman, composer, Gordon Greenberg, director, Michele Lynch, choreographer, and Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill, producing artistic director of Cap Rep talk to some of the performers during First Hour about the show "Single Girls" which is a new musical being developed at Capital Rep on Tuesday Feb. 5, 2013 in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

The creative team from left, Zach Dietz, musical director, Tommy...

The creative team from left, Zach Dietz, musical director, Tommy Newman, composer, Gordon Greenberg, director, Michele Lynch, choreographer, and Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill, producing artistic director of Cap Rep talk to some of the performers during First Hour about the show "Single Girls" which is a new musical being developed at Capital Rep on Tuesday Feb. 5, 2013 in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

The creative team from left, Zach Dietz, musical director, Tommy...

The creative team from left, Zach Dietz, musical director, Tommy Newman, composer, Gordon Greenberg, director, Michele Lynch, choreographer, and Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill, producing artistic director of Cap Rep talk to some of the performers during First Hour about the show "Single Girls" which is a new musical being developed at Capital Rep on Tuesday Feb. 5, 2013 in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

The creative team from left, Zach Dietz, musical director, Tommy...

Actors listen as the creative team including Zach Dietz, musical director, Tommy Newman, composer, Gordon Greenberg, director, Michele Lynch, choreographer, and Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill, producing artistic director of Cap Rep talk to them during First Hour about the show "Single Girls" which is a new musical being developed at Capital Rep on Tuesday Feb. 5, 2013 in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Actors listen as the creative team including Zach Dietz, musical...

Cast from Single Girls Guide run through a rehearsal at Cap Rep on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013 in Albany, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Cast from Single Girls Guide run through a rehearsal at Cap Rep on...

Actors listen as the creative team including Zach Dietz, musical director, Tommy Newman, composer, Gordon Greenberg, director, Michele Lynch, choreographer, and Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill, producing artistic director of Cap Rep talk to them during First Hour about the show "Single Girls" which is a new musical being developed at Capital Rep on Tuesday Feb. 5, 2013 in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Actors listen as the creative team including Zach Dietz, musical...

From left, Gordon Greenberg, director, Michele Lynch, choreographer, and Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill, producing artistic director of Cap Rep talk about the set during First Hour about the show "Single Girls" which is a new musical being developed at Capital Rep on Tuesday Feb. 5, 2013 in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

From left, Gordon Greenberg, director, Michele Lynch,...

From left, Gordon Greenberg, director, Michele Lynch, choreographer, and Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill, producing artistic director of Cap Rep talk about the set during First Hour about the show "Single Girls" which is a new musical being developed at Capital Rep on Tuesday Feb. 5, 2013 in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

From left, Gordon Greenberg, director, Michele Lynch,...

A "public service message" is being shot Feb. 8, 2013, at the CapRep Theatre in Albany, N.Y. for the new musical "Single Girls Guide" which is being developed at Cap Rep. Part of the show is 1950s-style public-service announcement short films that are shown during the musical. (Skip Dickstein/Times Union)

A "public service message" is being shot Feb. 8, 2013, at the...

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013, a new musical getting its world premiere at Capital Rep in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20,...

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013, a new musical getting its world premiere at Capital Rep in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20,...

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013, a new musical getting its world premiere at Capital Rep in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20,...

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013, a new musical getting its world premiere at Capital Rep in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20,...

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013, a new musical getting its world premiere at Capital Rep in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20,...

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013, a new musical getting its world premiere at Capital Rep in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20,...

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013, a new musical getting its world premiere at Capital Rep in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20,...

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013, a new musical getting its world premiere at Capital Rep in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20,...

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013, a new musical getting its world premiere at Capital Rep in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20,...

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013, a new musical getting its world premiere at Capital Rep in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20,...

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013, a new musical getting its world premiere at Capital Rep in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20,...

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013, a new musical getting its world premiere at Capital Rep in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20,...

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013, a new musical getting its world premiere at Capital Rep in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20,...

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013, a new musical getting its world premiere at Capital Rep in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20,...

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013, a new musical getting its world premiere at Capital Rep in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20,...

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20, 2013, a new musical getting its world premiere at Capital Rep in Albany, N.Y. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

First run-through of "The Single Girls Guide," Wednesday Feb. 20,...

Cast from Single Girls Guide run through a rehearsal at Cap Rep on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013 in Albany, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Cast from Single Girls Guide run through a rehearsal at Cap Rep on...

Cast from Single Girls Guide run through a rehearsal at Cap Rep on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013 in Albany, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Cast from Single Girls Guide run through a rehearsal at Cap Rep on...

Cast from Single Girls Guide run through a rehearsal at Cap Rep on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013 in Albany, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Cast from Single Girls Guide run through a rehearsal at Cap Rep on...

Cast from Single Girls Guide run through a rehearsal at Cap Rep on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013 in Albany, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Cast from Single Girls Guide run through a rehearsal at Cap Rep on...

Cast from Single Girls Guide run through a rehearsal at Cap Rep on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013 in Albany, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Cast from Single Girls Guide run through a rehearsal at Cap Rep on...

A view of the construction work being done in the lobby at Cap Rep on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013 in Albany, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

A view of the construction work being done in the lobby at Cap Rep...

Cast from Single Girls Guide run through a rehearsal at Cap Rep on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013 in Albany, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Cast from Single Girls Guide run through a rehearsal at Cap Rep on...

Cast from Single Girls Guide run through a rehearsal at Cap Rep on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013 in Albany, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Cast from Single Girls Guide run through a rehearsal at Cap Rep on...

Cast from Single Girls Guide run through a rehearsal at Cap Rep on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013 in Albany, NY. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Earlier this week, the lobby of Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany was a chaos of set-building equipment, tools and wood. On a table near the box office lay a pair of coat hooks, their destination unclear, alongside a square, long-handled, doubled-bladed saw.

"What is that?" said Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill, the theater's producing artistic director, when she spotted the saw. As the person ultimately responsible for the world-premiere musical that would open in previews in just five days, Mancinelli-Cahill knew the lobby clutter, and its artistic corollary that was going on in the theater, where actors were slowly pacing through the show and fumbling their lines, were a normal, expected part of the artistic process.

After 18 seasons as the head of Capital Rep, Mancinelli-Cahill was confident the lobby would be cleaned, the lines learned, the lighting cues fixed, the batteries in the actors' wireless microphones replaced, all in time for Friday's first preview of the musical "Single Girls Guide." But the last-minute disorder still dismayed her. She brandished the saw and said, "I think I should have this in my office. It could come in handy."

On the stage a little while later, the actress Kate Loprest, who plays the lead character in "Single Girls Guide," appeared in a red, midthigh minidress.

"I got sent home from school for a wearing a skirt like that," Mancinelli-Cahill said. "My geometry teacher said it was too short."

Loprest plays Emma, a young woman working for a newspaper in mid-1960s Manhattan, who turns a stodgy advice column for housewives into the titular manifesto. Women don't need to be married to be fulfilled, Emma writes; they don't even need a man. It's still a radical idea at the beginning of the women's movement, but the column explodes in popularity, and Emma, who is named after the heroine of the eponymous Jane Austen novel and inspired in part by the pioneering author and longtime Cosmopolitan editor Helen Gurley Brown, becomes a celebrity. She even gets invited to Truman Capote's legendary Black and White Ball, where a key scene of the show is set.

"I'm a big fan of the (Austen) novel, and I thought it would be very interesting to make the story more contemporary, to put it in a time where there were great changes in gender politics," said Gordon Greenberg, who wrote the book for "Single Girls Guide" and is directing the production. The show is his sixth directing job at the theater, including another world premiere, "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do: The Neil Sedaka Musical," in 2005.

In early February, at the first meeting of the cast and the creative team, Greenberg told the group, "I was attracted to the combination of the time period and a set of social values that were so fascinating and so different from my own." He added with a laugh, "Besides, the music (of the time) is great and the clothes are fabulous."

Bringing "Single Girls Guide" to life has been a nearly three-year process for Greenberg and Tommy Newman, who composed the infectious, '60s-pop music and wrote the lyrics. Their second musical together, "Single Girls Guide" has received several readings and staged readings and been repeatedly rewritten.

"We outlined it in one afternoon, and here we are now, 30 outlines later," Greenberg told the cast.

In the weeks between that first meeting and the first preview, about a third of the show was rewritten.

"We're changing things every day," said Newman. While Greenberg was in town for the entire rehearsal process, able to tweak lines as he heard them delivered by the cast, Newman consulted via email and phone and flew in several times from Alabama, where he teaches musical theater at his alma mater, Troy University. He is also conducting the pit orchestra for the college's production of "Chicago." It opened Wednesday, two days before the first preview of "Single Girls Guide."

Greenberg and Newman started work on "Single Girls Guide" when they both were living in New York City. The composer's move to Alabama proved to be but a hiccup to their writing collaboration.

"Nothing beats the old-fashioned way of sitting in a room together with a piano," said Newman. "But he'd email me a scene, I'd email him lyrics, and I could sing a song over the phone." As rehearsals went on, he said, "We got pretty ruthless about recognizing what needs to be changed, what we need to cut. We've chopped a lot of our babies. We had one song at the end of the first act and I realized, 'I hate this song.' I didn't even want to sing it (for the cast). ... The next day, we had a new song."

"Single Girls Guide" includes several brief films meant to look like 1950s mental-hygiene movies that were shown to high school students. In one, after a teen girl confesses to her mother about a romantic interlude with a boy, the mother says, "It's a known fact that 90 percent of single girls who let their chastity go die as spinsters!"

The films were shot in early February in Capital Rep's rehearsal hall by a crew directed by Mancinelli-Cahill's college-age son, Andy Cahill, and his classmates from Emerson College, where he is a film major. Greenberg wanted the films to appear tattered, as if they'd been spooled through school projectors for decades.

"These need to be old, old, old," he told Cahill.

"You got it," Cahill said. "I'd rather start with a perfect image and make it nasty in (the editing room). We'll make it grainy and scratchy."

"It's like casting a pretty girl and making her ugly," Greenberg said.

"Yup," said Cahill. "That's what my mom taught me."

"Really?" said Greenberg. "That Maggie is wise woman."

About a week before the first preview, Greenberg was in a reflective mood.

"I'm never entirely confident that things are going well. I think if I were, I'd stop working," he said. "But I have a fundamental belief in the power and resonance of musicals as an art form. ... It's intimidating, though: In a musical, the rate of new ideas has to be so high. Every 30 seconds you have to have a new staging bit, a new sparkly moment, and the characters have to be engaging and delightful. I really think we're getting there."